TV News

Netflix Commissions New British Drama ‘The Crown’ | TV News

It has been confirmed by Netflix that they have the British answer to House of Cards in the shape of The Crown. The series is written by Peter Morgan who wrote The Queen and Stephen Daldry, writer of Billy Elliot. It has been inspired by Morgan’s West End hit The Audience which starred Helen Mirren, and will explore the personal lives of those associated with Buckingham Palace and No 10, so no prizes for guessing the lead characters then. Most interestingly, Morgan wants to deal with Queen Elizabeth II as a 25 year old, and then forthcoming, he will deal with an empire in decline, he confesses.

An empire in decline? It seems politically via culturally it has ‘declined’- so in terms of reflective drama, it sets itself up to sound like something conclusively unexciting. Claire Foy has been approached to play the 25 year old Elizabeth II, so in terms of casting, it’s got substance. It’s uncertain that Helen Mirren will be involved but there is an air of possibility, perhaps to play Queen Elizabeth II in the ‘declining’ moments, that she’ll be approached. Of course it’s a hit, on a bleakish note, as so many like to indulge in vague royal fiction and make an un-gripping soap opera about it.